Mercedes-Benz will be the first automotive manufacturer to launch Car-to-X at the end of this year. The vehicle-integrated technology will allow cars to ‘speak’ with each other and other traffic infrastructures, so that drivers can become more aware of their surroundings.

According to the company’s press release:

“Through the use of Car-to-X communication, information on potential road traffic dangers can be passed on to drivers at an early stage so that they can take appropriate action and even help to avoid critical situations arising in the first place.”

Utilizing cameras and sensors built into the cars, Car-to-X will display warning messages in advance so drivers can avoid hazardous situations and locales. For instance, an emergency vehicle or broken down (Car-to-X-equipped) car will be able to communicate that such a route should be avoided or to drive cautiously when going down a certain street.

To quicken the adoption of Car-to-X, Mercedes-Benz has made the technology available to older models through its Car-to-X Drive Kit Plus in conjunction with a smartphone and an app especially developed for Car-to-X.

“Daimler is using this mobile communication-based approach because it promises to offer the quickest way to deploy the future technology and therefore also the quickest possible shortcut to unlocking the safety potential of Car-to-X technology. However, Daimler is also involved in the further development of Car-to-X communication and, based on a hybrid approach, is also able to extend its systems into the area of so-called ad-hoc communication between vehicles.”

As more and more drivers become reliant on navigational systems via GPS for extended trips into unfamiliar settings, it’s also becoming more apparent that drivers also need some additional tools to correctly react in advance to certain instances that might be hazardous to both them and their surroundings. Car-to-X is a promising solution, but as of right now the technology is only available to Mercedes-Benz. However, in the near future the company hopes that the Car 2 Car Communications Consortium, which includes the like of Audi, BMW and Volvo, will see the benefits of Car-to-X and adapt it to their own brand.

Car-to-X launches later this year, but details regarding market availability, price, and Car-to-X-ready models have not been announced.